Miguel Cotto came to the New Yankee Stadium hoping to regain his place among the elite boxers today. Yuri Foreman came in hoping to make a name for himself and leave the Bronx with his Junior middleweight title in tact. On a night and at a time when boxing maybe in the midst of re-emerging, both Cotto and Foreman delivered. In an epic battle almost 35 years removed from the last momentous boxing event held in the hollowed house that(Babe)Ruth build, Miguel Cotto stalked, broke down and battered a very tough and game future Rabbi in Yuri Foreman by ninth round stoppage. This despite Foreman, who is studying to become a Rabbi, suffered a knee injury in the seventh round, yet refused to go quietly. Cotto was cruising along with stiff jabs and brisk combinations nullifying the speed and boxing bravado that was suppose to be Yuri Foreman's trump card coming in. Instead Foreman from the outset found himself on the defensive and unable to get in to any rhythm against the Puerto Rican superstar.
Despite the early onslaught Foreman did manage to make a fight of it, that is until the seventh round when Yuri Foreman's right knee gave out on him. Many at ringside including yours truly, thought that was the beginning of the end. But Foreman refused to wilt and showed great courage and heart in continuing to fight on, even on one leg. So much so that at one point in the eight round Foreman's trainer threw in the towel only to have that ruling rescinded by referee Arthur Mercante Jr. The bout would continue and Foreman's status as a true warrior was on full display as he continued to fight despite the injury and the immense pressure Miguel Cotto kept pouring on.
The end however was near as early in the ninth round it was vintage Cotto setting up and mixing his punches until connecting with a left hook to the body that floored Foreman and earned Cotto a title in an unprecedented third weight class. There is no question that Emmanuel Stewart in his first fight as Miguel Cotto's trainer made a big difference in restoring the new junior middleweight champion to his old self. ''You are going to see the Miguel Cotto of old tonight'', is what the Puerto Rican superstar and now global boxing legend told HBO announcer Max Kellerman prior to the fight. It was indeed the Miguel Cotto of old, even if it was for one night. But now for Stewart and his eager protege, there are plenty of new challenges awaiting...can you say Sergio Martinez and Paul Williams? Only time will tell if we get to see those big fights take place, but tonight courtesy of Cotto and Foreman, we all got to enjoy a piece of history.
By Ephraim Vega
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